Midweek check-in, Winnipeg! 💙
Weather's looking beautiful. Sitting under 25°C all the way through the weekend, so it's not too hot and just perfect to step out.
Grab your coffee, settle in, and let's dive into what's happening around Winnipeg.
Now, in today’s edition:
Downtown Closes Multiple Roads For A Four-Day Concert
Your Winnipeg Library Card Now Gets You Thousands Of Free Classes
$1.4 Million Is Available To Fix Up Downtown Storefronts
Downtown Gets A New Arcade Bar With 50+ Games Inside
Multiple events this week & more
— Jas Singh
News
Source: Burton Cummings Theatre
Downtown Closes Multiple Roads For A Four-Day Concert
If downtown is part of your usual drive, it's worth checking your route before you head out this week.
Starting at 9 a.m. today, a handful of closures go in around the Burton Cummings Theatre.
Here's what to expect:
Smith Street closes between Ellice and Notre Dame
Westbound Ellice loses a lane between Garry and Donald
Westbound Notre Dame loses a lane between Arthur and Donald
Donald Street loses a lane between Notre Dame and Cumberland
All of it stays in place until 2 p.m. Monday, August 17. Nothing dramatic, but if you drive through that area on your way to work, give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning.
And here's what all that's for. Burt Block Party begins tomorrow, Thursday, August 13, turning that stretch of downtown into one big outdoor concert for four nights.
Here's some of who you could see:
Thursday: Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Malevolence and Waster
Friday: The Beaches, Lights, LØLØ and sundayclub
Saturday: Colin James, Streetheart, Toque and Kelly Bado
Sunday: Collective Soul, 54.40, Paul Langlois and Attica Riots
So if you're still looking for weekend plans, here they are, right in the heart of the city.
The party starts tomorrow, so there's no time to wait. Pick your night and grab your tickets before the final show wraps up Sunday!
A Message From Bonaventure Travel!
The Trip You've Been Putting Off Since 2016
You've been saying next year for about ten years now.
Next year, when work slows down. Next year, when the kids are older. Next year, when there's a bit more put away.
Then next year arrives, something comes up, and it moves again. The passport renews. The list stays a list.
These three leave in six weeks and they're already confirmed to run.
Bonaventure Travel has three Insight Vacations tours where the route, the hotels and the guides are done. You pick it, they handle the rest.
Best of Britain, 11 days through Scotland, Wales and England, leaving September 22
Battlefields of WWI & WWII, 11 days from the D-Day beaches to Vimy Ridge, leaving September 24
Amazing Spain and Portugal, 9 days through Seville, Granada and the Alhambra, leaving October 24
Three different chapters. Roman walls and medieval abbeys in Britain. Moorish palaces and cathedrals in Spain. And in France, the ground where Canadians turned the war, with a guide who can tell you what happened where you're standing.
Guaranteed departure means it goes whether or not the group fills. Right now they're 15% off select dates, with $200 deposits.
And these are only three of them. The sale runs across Europe and beyond, so if you've got somewhere else in mind, Bonaventure will find it.
Community Spotlight
Your Winnipeg Library Card Now Gets You Thousands Of Free Classes
Source: Winnipeg Public Library
Trying a new hobby sounds fun until the costs start piling up. Class fees, a monthly subscription, and a pile of supplies before you even know if you'll like it.
So you close the tab and tell yourself you'll get to it later.
But now Winnipeg Public Library is making it easier to try new hobbies for completely free. Library cardholders can access thousands of Creativebug classes at no cost.
Here's some of what you can try:
Painting and drawing
Sewing and needlework
Paper crafts and jewellery
Home décor projects
Creative activities for kids and teens
You'll also find patterns, recipes, colouring sheets, and new classes added regularly, so there's always something different to explore.
All you need is an active Winnipeg Public Library card, which is free for people who live or pay property taxes in Winnipeg, and you can even apply for a temporary one online.
So if cost was the thing holding you back, go find the one you've been putting off and everything else you can try.
City Updates
$1.4 Million Is Available To Fix Up Downtown Storefronts
We've all walked past a storefront and thought about how good it could look fixed up.
Now there's money for exactly that.
The province, the city and CentreVenture have put $1.4 million toward helping downtown businesses improve their storefronts.
Who can apply:
Small and medium retail shops
Restaurants and cafés
Specialty retailers and some non-profits
What the money covers is broad. Facades, signage, lighting, windows, entrances, patios, accessibility upgrades and landscaping, plus the design work to plan it.
Applications are open now. They get reviewed four times a year, with the first deadline on September 30, and it runs until the money is gone.
Click here: To see who can apply and how to get started.
P.S. Share this with the friends and family who own a shop downtown.
Community Digest
Downtown Gets A New Arcade Bar With 50+ Games Inside
Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, Skee-Ball and a cocktail menu, all in the same room.
GRETA Arcade Bar opens on Garry Street in November, taking over the old Keg space that closed at the end of July. It's the chain's first Winnipeg location and fifth in Canada.
Games are only half of it. The kitchen does street food pulled from different corners of the world, and there's a full cocktail list to go with it.
What else is planned:
A new patio for the summer months
50+ games, classic and modern
While keeping as much of the heritage building as they can
They're looking to get involved before the doors even open. GRETA is taking part in Le Burger Week from September 1 to 7, so you can try the food weeks ahead of the opening.
Downtown could use a few more fun spots to spend a night out. This one's worth keeping an eye on.
Click here: To see what you can expect when it opens!!
Event: Under $100 Art Show Winnipeg
Events coming up this week:
This section includes only the major events happening soon. For a complete list of all events, you'll have to wait for future editions!
Movies in the park: Hoppers & How to Train Your Dragon | August 14 (More Info)
Location: Assiniboine Park
Description: The Lyric Theatre concession will be serving popcorn, ice cream treats, and other tasty snacks.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs Ottawa Redblacks | 7:30PM, August 14 (Tickets)
Location: Princess Audio Stadium
Description: Come cheer on the Bombers as they take on the Ottawa Redblacks in great CFL action.
Winnipeg Goldeyes vs Sioux City Explores | August 14-16 (Tickets)
Location: Blue Cross Park
Description: Come cheer on the Goldeyes as they take on the Explorers in great baseball action.
2026 Corydon Avenue Concert Series | 7PM-10PM, Aug 14 & 15 (More Info)
Location: Hugo St North & Cockburn St. N
Performers: Vintage Groove & rewind
Description: Corydon concerts continue to attract thousands of people. Bring a lawn chair and sit back and enjoy the warm Winnipeg nights with the sounds of Jazz, Rock, Pop, Soul and Blues music (or hit the dance floor and practice your best moves).
Strangle at the Met | 6PM, August 15 (Tickets)
Location: Metropolitan Entertainment Centre
Description: Join us on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the historic Metropolitan Entertainment Centre in Winnipeg for an unforgettable night of elite no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Manitoba Harness Racing at The LOOP | August 15 (More Info)
Location: The LOOP at Exhibition Park
Description: Join us at The LOOP at Exhibition Park this summer for heart-pounding action, exhilarating finishes, and unforgettable moments on the track!
Open Corydon – Little Italy | 10AM-8PM, Aug 16 (FREE)
Location: Corydon Avenue between Lilac St and Daly
Description: Open Corydon – Little Italy transforms one of Winnipeg's most popular entertainment districts into a vibrant, car-free destination every Sunday throughout the summer.
Jazz in the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden: Karly Epp & Karl Kohut
| 12PM-1PM, August 16 (FREE)Location: Assiniboine Park
Description: Music, movies, fun, and wellness take centre stage at Assiniboine Park's Summer Entertainment Series!
Paint 'n' Sip Morning | 10AM, August 16 (Tickets)
Location: Dalnavert Museum and Visitors' Centre
Description: Join us for a beginner-friendly watercolour tutorial, then relax in Dalnavert's beautiful garden with a mimosa while you create your plein-air masterpiece!
Current Events: Aug 12th - 13th
Events marked with (Tickets / $) require advance purchase. Double-check dates before heading out!
Sports 🏀
Live Racing at Assiniboia Downs | 7:30PM, August 12 (Tickets)
Location: Assiniboia Downs
Description: To the Downs! Experience the thrill of watching and wagering on horse racing at Assiniboia Downs. Horse racing, 140 VLTs and fabulous dining - it’s fun you can bet on!
Wellness Wednesdays | 6PM-7PM, August 12 (FREE)
Location: Assiniboine Park Lyric Theatre
Description: You will flow through simple sequences that build a little warmth before settling into restorative postures and a deep, grounding relaxation.
Victory Lanes Speedway | 2:30PM, August 13 (Tickets)
Location: Victory Lanes Speedway
Description: Victory Lane Speedway is a WISSOTA sanctioned track less than 10 minutes south of Winnipeg on Highway 75.
Winnipeg Goldeyes vs Sioux Falls Canaries | August 13 (Tickets)
Location: Blue Cross Park
Description: Come cheer on the Canaries as they take on the Dogs in great baseball action.
Community Fun🎆
WAG Wednesday Nights: World Calligraphy Day: Collaborative Community Scroll | 5PM-9PM, August 12 (FREE)
Location: Winnipeg Art Gallery—Qaumajuq
Description: Begin by viewing a selection of remarkable calligraphy works from the Gallery’s collection before joining local calligrapher, Janet Murata for an engaging introduction to the art form.
ArtWalk: Public Art in Context | 6PM, August 12 (FREE)
Location: Tour begins at the Millennium Library (251 Donald St)
Description: This walking tour will explore public art that looks at how art exists in conversation with its surroundings, architecture, and context
Folklorama 2026 | August 12-15 (Tickets)
Location: Various venues throughout Winnipeg
Description: Travel the world without a passport! Experience world-class entertainment, enjoy delicious authentic cuisine, warm hospitality, and view beautiful cultural displays during Folklorama, the largest and longest-running multicultural festival of its kind in Winnipeg!
Jeudis Franco Thursdays | 5:30PM-11PM, Aug 13 (FREE)
Location: Saint-Boniface
Description: Jeudis Franco Thursdays is a vibrant cultural event series that takes place every Thursday from June to August in the St. Boniface quarter of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
StrEAT Feast Festival at The Forks | Aug 13-16 (More Info)
Location: The Forks CN Stage & Field
Description: Enjoy the festival’s family-friendly environment, filled with great vibes, tasty food, performances, a vibrant local market, and various types of activities available ONLY at STREAT FEAST!
Performance 🎭
Legally Blonde The Musical | August 12-30 (Tickets)
Location: Rainbow Stage
Description: A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde The Musical, follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams.
Mike Rita | August 12-15 ($)
Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club
Description: Comedian Mike Rita is exactly what you think a comic should be... funny, smart & relate-able. He was the winner of the Second City's 'Cream of Comedy' and the runner up for Now Magazine's 2014 & 2015 'Best Male Stand-up’.
Burt Block Party | August 13-16 (Tickets)
Location: Burton Cummings Theatre
Performers: Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, The Beaches, Colin James, Streetheart, Collective Soul and multiple more!
Description: The events will take place directly outside the Burton Cummings Theatre welcoming up to 4,000 fans each night.
That’s Dirty Dancing Performance | August 13, 15, 16 (Tickets)
Location: Destination Dinner Stage
Description: Pack your bags for Loverman’s Lodge, where summer love sizzles to the beat of your favorite hits, the jukebox spins nonstop, and the dance floor is strictly no corners allowed
Summer Concert Series at the Lyric Theatre (FREE)
Kris Ulrich & Slow Spirit | August 13
Onna Lou presented by Folklorama | August 16
Special Events🥂
Under $100 Art Show Winnipeg | August 13-16 (Tickets)
Location: Portage Place Mall
Description: Discover original artwork from 70 local and emerging artists, with every piece priced at $100 or less. Art of all kinds- paintings, photography, textiles, mixed media, ceramics, handmade accessories, and so much more!
Music 🎵
Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! Let’s chat again on Friday!
